To Be King
by iheartgeekz
Summary: Word around Central is that Fuhrer Grumman has arranged a marriage for his granddaughter. Roy then remembers an arrangement he had with the former general. How does Captain Hawkeye feel about her betrothal? Takes place after the Promised Day. Just a short idea I had based on a scene in the manga. Twoshot.
1. Chapter 1

"Struck out again, huh?" a lieutenant remarked, ribbing his superior officer, "You're running out of women in this city."

"It's not my fault, this one has three ex-husbands. That should be a red flag right there!" the captain protested. "Besides, it's a big base. Even if I just want to stick with military girls, I'm not out of options yet."

"What about Captain Hawkeye? She's single."

"Psh," the captain dismissed the idea. "No one has any luck with her. Besides, I heard from the Fuhrer himself that she's betrothed. He set her up with someone high up on the totem pole."

"No kidding?"

Jean Havoc struggled to not spit his coffee across the break room. His team had secrets, everyone knew that. But he had hoped that with something as important as an engagement, Captain Hawkeye would have mentioned something. Fuhrer Grumman was refreshingly human compared to the previous regime, perhaps this was another one of his pranks? Usually those were fairly benign, although a source of constant annoyance for human resources. Last time he put pornographic images in the training manuals to prove that no one actually read those things. That is, save for poor Sheska.

He ran back to the office, checking to make sure there were no eavesdroppers outside in the hallway before he asked, "Hey, Captain? You'd tell us if you were engaged, right?"

She looked up skeptically from her paperwork, "Yes, of course. Where is this coming from? Is Rebecca trying to set me up again?" It certainly wouldn't be the first time that her friend had tried to get her to settle down and marry a nice guy, preferably with a big bank account and big assets elsewhere. Everyone was convinced she only did it to humor her friend, there was rarely a second date. Never a third.

"No, but apparently your grandfather did." Havoc told her, "Scuttlebutt is that Grumman betrothed you to some higher up."

"Betrothed? How archaic," Roy commented. He paused for a moment, remembering a conversation he had with the then-general Grumman a few months earlier.

" _Would you consider marrying my granddaugther? She'll some day be the president's wife!"_

Roy swallowed hard. He didn't know how serious the man was. Apparently he had meant it, and that higher up was him. Now the Fuhrer was telling all of Central that Roy was set to marry his captain. He admitted he'd considered it. In a more perfect world he would love to have a life with her. A big house, children, a yard for Hayate. But did she feel the same way? Even if it were possible, would she agree?

Hawkeye shook her head, "I assure you, I have no idea what he's talking about, but I intend to find out.

* * *

"Grandfather, I would like a word." She sat down, across the desk from the new Fuhrer. Anyone else would have been intimidated, seated before the most powerful man in the country. And rightfully so. Grumman was not a man to be underestimated, but Hawkeye was not easily intimidated. Hawkeye imagined that many heads of state and generals must have felt a sense of unease sitting down in front of the Fuhrer. She also wondered how many of those found a whoopie cushion beneath their seat, as she did. _Pppffffftttt._

"Of course! What can I do for you?" He looked over the rims of his glasses at her, chuckling at his prank.

"What's this I'm hearing about an engagement?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"Oh, has someone finally asked?

"No, I wish it were that simple. Apparently the word around base is that you have been telling people that you set me up with a husband?"

"I've never known you to believe gossip, my dear. I think I would remember something that important. My mind isn't getting any younger." he looked out the window wistfully, "I'm just an old man, although I would hope that you would settle down while I'm still around to see it."

Liar. The old man was as sharp as ever.

"You're a terrible liar for a politician," she observed, "With whom did you arrange this?" She had a sneaking suspicion in the back of her mind that she already knew the answer.

"I would never 'set you up with a husband.' As if you would even allow for such a thing!" trying to force her into an arranged marriage would not end well for anyone involved. "I merely gave him my blessing in advance and encouraged the process. It's inevitable, really. You two have been in love all these years." He'd hoped that he had given Roy the necessary poking and prodding to get the ball rolling. Yet even after all they endured together on the Promised Day, they had remained dear friends, and nothing more.

"Sir?"she asked nervously. "Why would you think I am in love with the general?"

He gave her a sly smile, "And I never named names, Riza. But he does come to mind, does he? You could do far worse for a husband. You deserve to be happy. To have a husband, a father for your children. You deserve to be loved."

She didn't know how to respond to that. She felt something for the general, but whether or not it could be called love was not an easy question. Love like the love of your country? Love like a sibling? A friend? Something more? Even if she could entertain the thought of loving him, it was never meant to be. She'd taken countless lives, and he took countless more. The idea of them finding happiness, happiness together, did not feel right.

* * *

"I thought I asked you not to think too far ahead, Fuhrer." Roy asked, shaking his head, "I at least thought you might have kept that little conversation between us."

"When you get to be my age, you have to think ahead because that's all you have! Great leadership requires great ambition, wouldn't you agree?"

Roy had to agree, "I suppose so. However couldn't you think ahead without telling half of Central about your plan to have me father your great grandchildren?" He felt heat rising beneath his uniform. Could he really see himself being a father? That would require him to do things with his captain to father said children. Things he couldn't let himself imagine.

"I never said who she was engaged to." he argued, detail oriented as ever.

"Yet somehow, everyone, including Captain Hawkeye, presume you mean me."

"Rather curious isn't it?" he asked with a gleam in his eye. He stepped out onto the balcony of his office, looking out over the city, "Look out there. Some day all of this will be yours."

"Sir?"

"When I die, you will take my place, and you will become the new Fuhrer. And my granddaughter will be the president's wife, just as we agreed."

"With all due respect, you should pass on your legacy to whomever you feel is the most qualified, sir. That kind of decision should not be based on personal relationships." He didn't know if he would go so far as to say that was an agreement they had. Although if Grumman had everything go his way, and he usually did, then she would be his along with the entire country.

"You overthrew a corrupt dictatorship and made general by 30? If there's more to your resume, please leave it with my secretary, I'm curious to read it."

Roy shook his head, despite the fact that he'd spent years dreaming of leading this country, he was in no hurry to do so. Especially if that meant having to lose a great man to do so. When Grumman left office, it would be with his death. He wasn't the kind of man to go retire someplace warm. The free world cheered at King Bradley's death. When Grumman would be gone, it would be as if the entire country lost an old drinking buddy.

"And you think that qualifies me to marry your granddaughter?"

"No, loving her does."


	2. Chapter 2

Even though they had an open door policy, Roy knew better than to enter her home without knocking. He didn't feel like getting pumped full of lead tonight. It was far later than he would normally visit but he'd spent a lot of time thinking before finally deciding to come by. He could feel sweat beading beneath his collar. Even though he felt more comfortable with her than he did with anyone else, this visit made him nervous. His hand was clutched probably tighter than it should have been around a bouquet of wildflowers. The time between him knocking and hearing the lock click felt like an eternity.

She checked the peekhole to be safe, her hand subconsciously drifting to the sidearm strapped to her thigh, although she already knew who would be at her door at this hour. "Good evening sir," she stepped back to let him in, ushering her dog back inside. "Come in. You too, boy. You know better."

He offered her the bouquet, running his free hand through his hair nervously. "You got a vase," he observed, chuckling softly. A simple glass vase sat empty on her coffee table.

"I did," she confirmed, smelling their sweet scent. After her last visit from her 'friendly neighborhood florist' she decided to find one. She'd never used it, but she had one. Some nights she wished she had told him to come over that night. Other nights the more rational side of her told her that what they did was the safest approach. They avoided additional confrontation with the homunculi, who were keeping close watch on them both, and they avoided doing anything impulsive with one another. "So are we planning a wedding then?"

Roy shook his head, "It seems like that's what everyone has decided, regardless of that pesky thing called reality."

She put the flowers in their vase and added some water. Hayate sniffed the air, curious about the new scent wafting through the living room.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she wasn't upset and she hoped her voice didn't make her sound as if she were. The whole situation was so peculiar though it would have been nice if someone had explained it to her earlier.

"Honestly? I couldn't tell if the old man was joking or not." Roy told her, "and I didn't know then that you were the granddaughter he was talking about."

"He does like to keep people guessing." she confirmed.

"Although I still would have agreed if I had known." he admitted.

"Sir?"

He sat down on her couch, with Hayate following to sit at his feet. "Before I left for the military, I asked your father for his blessing to ask you to be my wife."

She stared at him in shock, sitting down beside him on the couch, taking in what he had just told her.

Roy pulled out a small silver band from his pocket. "I had a ring, and I had a plan. I would ask you, and if you said yes, we would be married when I returned. I wanted something to come home to, a future, a life. But your father said I was not worthy." he placed the ring in her hand, gently closing her fingers around its cool metal, "I made it myself, using the silver from my mother's ring."

Hawkeye traced her fingers around the delicate silver etching. Little flowers were etched into its surface, tarnished with time. She never saw the appeal of roses, and somehow even back then Roy knew that. Outlines of tiny lilies and irises were carefully transmuted onto the band. She shook her head in disbelief, "What would you have done if I would have said no?"

"I suppose it wouldn't be any different from how these past few years have been. We would remain as friends, but I would still love you." It pained him a little to think about it. He was used to rejection by now but rejection from her would have packed an extra punch. It was disappointing enough being told that he wasn't worthy of marrying this woman. Although Berthold Hawkeye was hardly an ideal father figure, he was within his right to object to his daughter's suitor. She was the one person who had never disappointed him.

"And if I said yes?"

"Well, I already told you about my plan-"

"No," she interrupted, "I mean if I were to say yes now?" She looked at him hopefully, wondering if his offer still stood.

His eyes widened, "Are you saying what I think you're saying? It's illegal, Riza."

She was caught a little off guard by his use of her first name. She hadn't heard her name on his lips in years. Although she shouldn't have been too surprised since formality between them seemed to have gone out the door already. "I am."

He put his head in his hands, "It's not possible. Not without one of us leaving the military. We both have people we need to protect."

"Technically the law forbids courtship and sexual conduct between the ranks. Those who were married prior to entering into service are exempt from such a law. All we would have to do is say that I said yes before I entered the military, before you became my superior officer. Because if you had asked me and ignored my father like you ignored everything else the man ever said, I would have agreed. Truthfully, we never dated while enlisted."

"You've thought about this before, haven't you?"

She nodded, "A few times."

"Riza?" he got down on one knee and took her hand in his, "I've loved you for as long as I've known you. You've done me the great honor of being my protector, never letting me stray or compromise on my promises. You followed me into hell and you led me back out again. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. Will you marry me?" He already knew what her answer would be but he wanted to do this right.

"Yes," she told him. He took the ring from her hand and slipped it onto her finger. The weight of it was new, but felt somehow familiar as if it belonged there all along. She stared down at it in disbelief, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. In an instant his arms were around her.

"Hey, don't cry," he soothed, rubbing his hand in circles on her back. "Water makes me useless, remember."

She had to stop crying to laugh for a moment, "I just...do you think we can be happy? After everything that has happened? Do we even deserve to be happy?" It was a heavy question, and one that she knew he spent a lot of time thinking about as well.

He kept her wrapped in his arms as he sat down on the couch, easing her into his lap, "Not everyone gets what they deserve. I've noticed that a lot over the past year. Some people suffer more than they should, some people don't suffer enough." He thought back to Bradley, who had everything appointed to him. The corrupt generals who turned their backs on the people. Hughes, gone too soon. Ed and Al, who lost almost everything. The Ishvalans, still trying to rebuild their lives. "Life still goes on regardless of who gets what they deserve. You can be happy whether you think you deserve to be or not. And so can I. In this moment, right here, right now, with you, I am happy."

She nodded slowly, still not sure what to think. But right now, she was happy. Roy kicked off his shoes and swung his feet up onto the couch, laying down with her head against his chest. He let her tears soak into his jacket until they stopped. He could feel her breathing even out as she fell asleep listening to his heartbeat.


End file.
